Event Details

Growth without Jobs? A new economic reality or a temporary transition?

The U.S. and Connecticut economies present a puzzle in early 2026:

• GDP growth remains robust
• Job growth has slowed significantly
• Yet unemployment rates stay remarkably low
• Productivity gains are accelerating

Come learn about:

• The Productivity Puzzle: Why strong economic output doesn't require strong job growth, and what's driving economic gains as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
• The Tight Labor Market Without Hiring: How low unemployment persists even as employers pull back on new hires.
• Industry Winners and Losers: Which Connecticut sectors are still adding jobs and which have stalled, and how this compares to national patterns.
• The Wage-Inflation Balance: Are workers finally seeing real wage gains? How does Connecticut compare to the nation?
• Demographics and the "New Normal": How population aging and labor force participation trends are reshaping what "full employment" means.

EVENT DETAILS:
February 24, 2026
5:00 - 8:00 pm Dinner Meeting
Courtyard by Marriott, Cromwell
4 Sebethe Drive
Cromwell, CT 06416

FEES:
$40 for Members; $50 for Guests

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT

OUR PRESENTER:
Patrick J. Flaherty

Patrick J. Flaherty is the Director of the Office of Research and Information at the
Connecticut Department of Labor, Connecticut’s Labor Market Information shop and the
Data Integration Hub for DataLinkCT (formerly P20WIN), Connecticut’s State Longitudinal Data System. He is also Adjunct Faculty at UConn where he teaches Principles of Microeconomics at UConn/Hartford.

Patrick is the Labor Commissioner’s designee on the Connecticut Retirement Security
Program (MyCTSavings) and is the New England representative on the Local Employment
Dynamics Steering Committee.